Patterns of Warmth, 6 - Heartstrings
by Irene Claire
Summary: A holiday-related continuation of this verse prompted by a video on social media. Steve's unit in the Reserves is called to Active Duty just before Christmas for a special (classified) mission. Some angst w a happy ending. Currently rated 'T' since in this verse, the relationship is newly established/established. A bit of Rachel, maybe other of the o'hana. Charlie, Grace.
1. Chapter 1

**I do not own Hawaii Five-0 or any characters. No copyright infringement intended.**

 **Notes:** _This isn't entirely done, but well on its way. Likely 3 chapters._

 **H5O* H5O* H5O* H5O* H5O**

Steve would never forget the shattered look on Charlie's face the day he and Danny had tried to explain that Steve and one or two others in the Reserves had been called back to Active Duty. They never even got to the why of it ... _why_ his Uncle Steve had to leave didn't matter. Only that he _would_ leave had been plenty. As a teenager, Grace had taken the news in stride. She'd been more angry than upset at first. But Steve could never forget the way Charlie's face had crumpled, a microsecond before his eyes had filled with tears. A millisecond before those tears had spilled over his cheeks, lips trembling. The little boy had been inconsolable and had stayed that way right up until the day his uncle had been re-deployed for a few weeks; Steve didn't doubt that Charlie still was just as upset. And since Charlie was a miniature version of his father, down to the same quirky expressions, Steve also knew that Charlie was outwardly mirroring his father's hidden feelings. Danny's initial grim look had been the only reaction.

Charlie was his father's barometer in many ways. The child's reactions could be the outward reality of his father's truest feelings. Steve knew that because Danny held everything buried deep inside where Charlie was far too young to have such filters. Danny's inability to eat properly or hold a modicum of even a subdued conversation were the only other hints. Things Steve recognized if no one else bothered to try. If anyone bothered to pay attention, they'd know that Danny was crying on the inside as much as his son was blatantly on the outside.

There'd be no Christmas for them. Steve knew that Danny would try for Charlie's sake. It probably was going to be a dismal failure though and there was nothing Steve could do about it and he felt entirely responsible.

As he monitored the covert team's egress to their clandestine location to retrieve something - or someone - a _thing_ he wasn't even wholly privy to, Steve kept Charlie's frightened blue eyes right there. He clung to them even as he quietly confirmed status and relayed orders and instruction from the missions' commander because this time, Steve was the acting second in command.

Sparing a moment for Charlie, Steve physically shivered as he eyed the monitor and automatically relayed a scarily ever-changing status. No one on the ops team would doubt Steve's focus though. His eyes were sharp and his tone firm. He was engaged and on track. Nevertheless, the bone-deep chill wasn't due to the mission. He hadn't felt warm since leaving Oahu. He'd been cold both inside and out since receiving his orders and so, he refused to allow himself to forget the shattered look on Charlie's face. He intentionally kept that sad memory in the forefront of his mind as he monitored the days left on his plate until the the mission would officially end. Four. Just _four_ more days to go he tallied easily as he relayed coordinates reconfirming the target's location. The differences in himself from before were startling though and he knew it. Days and hours never quite mattered as much to him as they did now. He'd never done this before - lived with this kind of end in sight. Not like this at least. He'd never had a family quite like this to go home to and unbeknownst to him, his expression softened all the while his highly trained and professional conscious mind digested the video transmission it was watching on the monitor in front of him.

"McGarrett?" The operations' Commanding officer asked. "Confirmation ... is this it?"

Eyes narrowed, his nose inches from the screen, Steve nodded. "That's it. The smaller building to the right." He'd been called in as a subject matter expert for a particular site. Though ravaged by time, the small outpost was as he'd remembered it. Their target would be in the primary building and likely its covert small basement.

"Copy. Coordinates are a go," Steve confirmed to the near-silent S-3 Ops center. The special operations center was actually a small room at a US military base far away from where the actual SEAL team had been deployed. As he validated the location, other orders were given and he watched the distant team react in kind. Danger was high and they had minutes to achieve their goal. However, Steve was almost sinfully safe as he watched the SEAL team through a somewhat murky video feed. For a brief moment, he felt a familiar itch as he watched the action taking place before him. He'd been there before - this place in the southern-most sector of Korea - and was practically back there again. Tense and on edge, he watched through others' eyes, their eerie silhouettes sometimes appearing an odd shade of green and he blinked in surprise as he forgot about that short flare of jealousy. A glint of metal. A brief sparkle of light. Suddenly, the soft light from the video feed wasn't as eerie as it seemed because he was reminded of someone else.

Of ... _Danny_. Of the stocky silhouette back-lit by Christmas lights strung across the fireplace mantel, blond hair mussed as he tried to walk his son back to sleep in his arms. A little enough boy that was just a bit too big to be held and rocked like that while his father patiently paced the floor at nearly three o'clock in the morning.

That had been almost twelve days earlier ... and Steve shook himself back to center hard as muffled gunfire echoed through to the ops center. Curses erupted around him and he focused hard on the rapid change in activity. He checked the time and counted heads, ticked off voices, and listened hard to the SEAL team's verbal exchange.

"Copy that. In ten," he noted when the volley ended as abruptly as it had begun. Air Force combat search-and-rescue helicopters were already in the air for the team's retrieval. There was only one chance to hit their objective; grab their target. Get out. Leaving no man behind. Ever.

"In eight. Get a move on," Steve stated as he calmly relayed the SEAL team's confirmations.

Steve heaved in a lungful of air and hid a frown as the SEAL team used a small incendiary to expose a cavity in the lower room. Two small boxes were in the cavity, covered in dust and badly dented. Each was quickly stowed and in an organized rush, the SEAL team began their retreat.

"Target acquired. Confirmed," Steve reported. "Copy ... extraction in five."

"Step it up people," the Commander demanded. "Bring it home."

"S&R in two," Steve said as he relayed the helicopter's status and rocked his jaw at activity honing in on their remote team from the north. "Hostiles incoming." Of course it was expected, but he didn't have to be happy about resistance. None of them did. The chatter increased tenfold within the room, amongst the team and between the two groups. They wouldn't let it become chaotic though. Every word ... each syllable had a concise intent.

"Bring it home!" The Commander demanded once more and Steve failed at hiding a wince. "McGarrett? Problem?"

"No Sir," Steve spat out quickly. He was mad at himself as he hunkered down, his nose virtually glued to the monitor. Nevertheless as he listened and gave orders of his own, Steve's demeanor belied some of his stray thoughts and his eyes seemed to glisten wetly in the dim light cast by the computer monitor. He ached inside to go home too as another chill swept down his spine and oddly enough, settled round in the pit of his stomach. He'd gotten a radio-controlled helicopter for Charlie for Christmas - really, it would be from Santa. But still ... Steve swallowed hard, fighting to quell an unwanted surge of emotion as the combat chopper's pilot radioed in. He'd paid a few extra dollars to have the customer service desk at the mall wrap it for him, too. The box was in the trunk of his father's car in the old shed. Danny didn't even know about it. The gift wouldn't be under the tree. It would be late and maybe too late at that because once he got home in four day's time, it would be a full day after Christmas had already happened. And that would only be if the military mission wrapped on time inclusive of the debriefing.

Steve bit back a sigh as the memory of Charlie's teary face flashed across his mind's eye. He couldn't help it.

 _Charlie_. His hair had caught the reds, greens and whites from the softly lit Christmas lights strung across the fireplace mantel. Steve had stood there for as long as he'd dared; as long as he could without risking being late for the rally at Pearl. Neither Charlie nor Danny had known he'd been watching them from the hallway, soaking them in just before needing to leave.

Home never sounded so good.

Listening as the extraction of the SEAL team commenced in earnest, Steve wearily thumbed the space between his eyes where an ache settled in with a subtle thump. He barely took part in the satisfied _hooyahs_ as the mission came to a near close. Not a single injury, nor a single man left behind. It mattered - and it mattered a lot - but Steve's real thoughts percolated still even as he paid attention to their next orders which would have them evacuated to a destroyer poised in the Sea of Japan. After? That was being shared on a need to know basis; intel that was still very limited and even Steve was in the dark.

 _ **~ to be continued ~**_


	2. Chapter 2

**I do not own Hawaii Five-0 or any characters. No copyright infringement intended.**

 **Notes:** Thank you for the warm receipt of this story! :-) Happy holidays everyone! Chapters will go up as they are finished ... no actual schedule.

 _And a bit of history for those interested in the proper naming convention for Hickam Air Force base. With 4 nephews, a bro in law and father in various branches of the military, the tendency to be accurate is oftentimes a point of contention during gatherings. Anyway: Hickam Air Force Base had an official name change in 2010. At that time, Naval Station Pearl Harbor joined with Hickam in accordance with the Base Realignment and Closure Law. The 2005 law realigned 26 separate bases into 12 combined bases, and Hickam was renamed Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam._

 _Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam is located close to Honolulu on the Hawaiian island of Oahu. JBPHH is spread over multiple locations, occupying a combined area of approximately 28,000 acres._

 **H5O* H5O* H5O* H5O* H5O**

Things like this rarely happened in the military and even less so for Steve, but for whatever reason, the entire team found themselves a full thirty-two hours ahead of schedule. It was precious time indeed. The action review in Korea had begun on a U.S. warship in the Sea of Japan. It had concluded on Osan Air Force Base in South Korea and had been happily succinct; most of the team released early to spend their free-time at will while waiting for the next military flight back to the joint base at Hickam on Oahu. Not everyone was lucky though. Another and much smaller contingent was still on the move. Their work was still in progress with orders to leave for Quantico via Germany with the twin metal boxes. Each purported to be holding critical bio-warfare intelligence.

Steve wouldn't have been surprised to find himself part of that contingent. But he wasn't. In fact, the entire operations team - Steve's own team in that small command center - had been officially released and Steve was essentially free to do as he pleased. Recovering quickly, he kept moving, switching gears and focusing on a new goal: the likelihood of being able to get home on Christmas Day. Borrowed time was precious time indeed and Steve was soon humming to himself as he checked some commercial flight options online. The math he did in his head was close ... but ... yes!

It could work. If seats were _available_ ... his inklings of a plan could actually work.

Since the military flight back to Oahu would have kept them precisely on the original schedule to arrive home after the holiday, Steve now contrived other plans to get on a commercial flight from Seoul to Honolulu International as quickly as humanly possible. With other priorities looming over his head, this wasn't the time to waste an opportunity of this magnitude. While he'd gotten his gifts straightened out for Charlie and Grace, Steve's ability to find something for Danny had been pushed to the side. He'd had no time and now things were so far behind, Steve had no hope of finding something special enough.

He held his breath as seat options came up on the one optimal non-stop flight for that very evening. He didn't expect to find any, but there were two open seats and he booked the first one his thumb hit. He did it before even requesting permission from his superiors but Steve could have guessed the response despite the quizzical raise of an eyebrow once he found himself in the base commander's office.

"I'd like to take advantage of the time, Sir," Steve said, practically over-explaining himself in the process. He couldn't stop smiling either. Who could blame him though for his taking advantage of a perfectly good situation that would feasibly get him home not _after_ \- but _on_ Christmas Day? The plain answer was: no one.

"I see no reason to deny your request; seems like a sound and very logical plan of action to me," the commander finally said, smiling even more broadly than Steve. "I bet this will be quite the surprise too; I certainly understand and actually, I'm not just a little bit envious."

"Thank you, Sir," Steve said as he fidgeted badly, his desire to be excused now tantamount to keeping a very important time-table. "Really ... I appreciate it."

"Do you need help with booking any flights?" The commander started to ask but Steve was already holding up his hand and taking a long backwards step towards the door. The older man chuckled and pointed the way, wisely guessing that Steve had already done some advanced planning. "Fine! Get out of here then, Commander. You've got much better places to be and a family to surprise!"

"Yes sir!" Steve agreed heartily. "I certainly do." With his go-bag already slung over his shoulder since he'd left it out in the hallway, Steve was on his way to the airport within seconds of gaining that permission. Smiling like a loon the entire way, he'd already forced himself to not call Danny even though a huge part of him was itching to do just that. Something made him stop. Each time he went to thumb the speed dial for Danny's number, he stopped in his tracks and re-pocketed his phone. Call it suspicious or maybe some part of him was chewing on the base commander's suggestion of a surprise, that _something_ prevented Steve from making the call.

 _Not yet,_ it teased at his brain, annoying him no end for its lack of clarity or even fair reason. But he went with it and accepted his gut-instinct, even refusing himself one last time when he found himself tempted again at the airport just a few minutes shy of boarding the jet that would get him to Honolulu International by late morning.

 _Don't do it ... not yet ..._ Steve groaned in annoyance at his own indecision. Just what the hell was stopping him? Danny was supposed to have his son, Charlie and his daughter, Grace by Noon on Christmas Day after a long pre-holiday period of being denied both his kids. When he'd left, things had been sour at home. First Steve's orders and then Danny's ex-wife's request to keep the kids longer due to their grandparents last minute visit from England had fouled Danny's already tetchy mood. December hadn't actually been a happy, festive month. Despite it all though, and in all his usual graciousness because Danny just couldn't find it within himself to deny his children their grandparents, Danny had agreed.

Steve made an unhappy sound in his throat as he tallied up the time Danny had essentially been alone. Everything had been just _off_ after Thanksgiving and Steve was partly the catalyst. Nothing Steve could say about anything at all, had mattered. This would help though; a call to Danny would help. Nonetheless, Steve didn't thumb the speed dial. Instead, he replayed one of their last conversations. The one he'd had with Danny after showing him the certified letter from Naval Intelligence. Before they'd even told the kids about Steve's new orders.

" _Support staff, Danny," Steve had said. He'd purposefully stressed the first word and had waited, shifting from one foot to the other. His own heart had sunk the moment the certified letter had arrived and he remember feeling as if he wanted to sink through the very floor. Steve had sighed, upset and worried when Danny had refused to turn around to face him. Instead, he had continued to stare blankly out the kitchen window._

 _"I promise ... promise ... that I'm part of the team staying within HQ. It's the hub. The Command Center. I won't be seeing any action, Danny."_

 _Danny had been holding the orders and the white paper had been vibrating in reaction to his hand's subtle tremor. The letter from Quantico wasn't something Danny should have been allowed to physically see, but classified went just so far in their house._

 _"Okay. I get it. But ... three weeks," Danny had stated far too calmly and Steve cringed. " ... and that's their best estimate."_

 _"The time will fly," Steve had tried to say. "I'll be back before you know it."_

 _"But you won't be back in time," Danny had interrupted. " ... and it's fucking Korea."_

 _He had turned around then to face Steve and the look in his eyes had said it all._ _The Navy made Steve who he was and Danny got it. He really did. He didn't have to fully embrace it with open arms though and right then, Steve didn't either._

 _"It's fucking Korea ... and it's ... Christmas," Danny had flatly replied and that had been the last of the conversation, leaving the stress to mount between them right up until the day Steve had left for the mission._

Standing there in the airport, Steve glanced at his watch. Because of all of this, should he call now or not though? If things stayed on this new schedule, he'd land just an hour _before_ Danny was scheduled to get his kids from his ex-wife's house. With her British parents visiting the island that was likely to be a dicey window of time. So just because of that, _should_ he call and at least lift Danny's spirits? Steve shook his head as he stared at the screen of his cell phone, thumb poised over that one digit and then he shook his head as boarding was announced.

 _Not yet._

They hadn't spoken in just under three weeks' time but Steve had a long way to travel and even if the call would do them both good, Steve definitely had a bit of a suspicious bone. First step was to get on this flight home ... second would be as easy as landing ... once home, he'd take it from there and surprise Danny in person. Maybe even meet Danny _at_ Rachel's house? Or, be there waiting for all of them at _home_? Steve's smile grew at these stray ideas. Why the heck not come up with something bigger - more grander of an idea? He didn't often have the chance to really surprise his partner. Not like this and a slow, sly grin began to spread across Steve's face. He had hours to plan something special during this forced down-time.

Sure. This not only could work ... it _would_ work. Quite well, too as he settled in happily, finding that he lucked out with an aisle-bulkhead seat so he could stretch out his long legs. Why not milk this surprise long and far? Steve hunkered down in his seat as the flight settled into its route. It was evening in Seoul and he'd be landing mid-morning, Honolulu time. As the inklings of an interesting plot-line started to form - inclusive of Santa suits and mistletoe - Steve's smile grew even more.

What if he got to Rachel's house _before_ Danny ...? That was a super tight window of time, but it was possible. It was Christmas after all and he never thought, in a million years, that the mission might have wrapped early. That he'd be on a commercial flight at that very moment and not stuck in some back-jungle village or military base office. Miracles and blessings were being heaped on him at that very moment. And despite some of the issues, Steve knew Rachel would be keen enough to help him out with a quick, off-the-cuff, surprise.

"Do you have a pen and maybe some paper?" Steve asked one of the flight attendants. He needed to write this down ... all of it.

 _ **~ to be continued ~**_


	3. Chapter 3

**I do not own Hawaii Five-0 or any characters. No copyright infringement intended.**

 **Notes:** _I love all the kind reviews! I'm a bit behind in replying to each, but I will catch up._

 **H5O* H5O* H5O* H5O* H5O**

Rachel firmly schooled her features as she came back in from the lanai, making sure she looked personally put out and someone not to be further antagonized. It was difficult though. Inside, she was laughing. She'd taken the most interesting of phone calls from a very unlikely source and was determined - no, _delighted_ \- to take part in a ploy that would at first seem almost cruel, but in the end actually be quite the happy surprise.

"Grace, Dad?" She began, making her white-lie of a story up on the fly as she called out to her daughter and father. "Mrs. Morrissey just rang me. She lives around the corner and she needs some help; I hope you two won't mind, but I need you to run an errand right away."

"Mrs. _who_ Morrissey?" Her father asked as he came into the kitchen with Grace on his heels, her expression looking far less enthused than that of her grandfather. "What's this? What kind of help does she need?" He'd been helping Charlie put together a new toy he'd gotten from Santa and seemed eager for the diversion. Grace most certainly was not as she narrowed her eyes, already suspicious of the request.

"Why?" Grace asked cautiously.

"Neighbor, Dad ... elderly ... she's got family visiting for the first time in a few years and forgot a few things from the grocery store," Rachel explained, fingers crossed firmly behind her back. "Most stores are closed, but maybe the convenience mart is open ... the bigger one near Ewa. Grace, get changed ... you can't go out half-dressed in pajamas."

"Ewa? But Dad is going to be here any minute," Grace interrupted. "Dad's probably on his way already ... and ..." Her eyes were huge and Rachel had to bite her own tongue to keep from smiling at her daughter's growing sense of outrage. "Ewa? That's not so close at all."

"Grace ...," Rachel raised an eyebrow as she tried to warn her daughter to behave despite the ruse, daring Grace to continue the argument even though Rachel was practically laying the foundation for it brick by angry brick. A dangerous thing since Grace already mistrusted her mother when it came to her father. Like clockwork, Grace folded her arms and squared off her shoulders.

"Dad is always on time ... and it's Christmas."

"I know Grace, but it can't be helped," Rachel continued on, trying not to prattle too much. "It's an emergency ..."

"Really? Just like the Navy had for Uncle Steve? That kind of emergency?" Grace spat back quickly. She'd been very upset about her Uncle Steve's orders too and had hid her emotions well enough. Her anger and frustration had been simmering though; terrible ingredients shoved into a slow pressure cooker and Rachel could feel the change in the air. Grace wasn't going to hold back anymore and she was quickly building up to a point of no return. Heaving a sigh and digging in bravely, Rachel began to prepare for the worst.

"That's not a fair comparison," Rachel replied, refusing to really get into an argument because after getting her father on board, she'd soon need her daughter's help. She just couldn't let too much of this particularly hairy cat out of its tiny bag, too prematurely. There were too many little ears in the vicinity and Rachel needed to pick the right time. She needed some of this to look very genuine and Grace's reaction was certainly pure enough.

"A run to a local store isn't nearly the same thing as what your Uncle Steve had to do for the Navy; so there's no reason at all to blow this out of proportion. You'll be back on time for your father."

"Uncle Steve is home?" Another voice piped up and Rachel made a face as Charlie wandered into the room, parts of his new toy in each hand. He was the very reason Rachel was being exceedingly cautious. His face was alight with excitement at what he thought he'd heard and Rachel nearly caved in entirely.

"No!" Grace interrupted though, her voice loud as if accusing Rachel of the Navy's awful gaffe. "He's not." She glanced towards her little brother then and softened her voice almost apologetically. "No, Charlie, he's not. Uncle Steve isn't home yet."

"Oh. Where's Danno?" Charlie asked quietly. His face fell, smile gone altogether as he seemed to think hard about some more things. "Mom?" Charlie pursed his lips, looking very much like his father as he raised the parts of his new toy up into the air so they all could see his predicament. "Is Danno here yet? I bet he can put this together!"

"No, no ... he, _umm_ ; your father ...," Rachel was stumbling badly as the light slowly trickled out of her son's eyes. "... Danno is going to be here. Soon. He'll be on time, Charlie. And ... and when he gets here, I'm sure he can help put your new toy together, too. It's just that I need your sister to run a quick errand for me."

"He's on his way," Grace said. "He is ... and we all need to be _here_. I can't go to the stupid store! Dad's going to have a meltdown!"

Sweat began to speckle Rachel's forehead and she dabbed at it helplessly for a moment with the back of her hand. Grace was right. Danny _was_ going to have a meltdown when he arrived and discovered Grace out and about with her grandfather. But this was all about planning and plotting a surprise for the greater good and well, Rachel would have to tackle her ex-husband's fury when it happened. Right now, she had to get Grace out of the house and to a certain place ... so Rachel wasn't going to give in.

 _No_. _This would work_ she vowed silently to herself, pocketing her patience because this _was_ going to work out in the end no matter the indignant looks of her two children. Inhaling deeply, Rachel folded her arms firmly across her chest and stared firmly back into Grace's face.

"You and your grandfather are going to run an errand; you're going to run to the store over at Ewa. If you'd just stop arguing with me and get dressed, you can leave and be back before your father gets here, and if you're not? Well, then I guess we'll cross that bridge when we get to it." Though her tone was her best no-nonsense one, Rachel's fingers were white from the strain of keeping them crossed and she was fighting herself to remain calm as Charlie looked at her and then over to Grace. His face was no less crestfallen than before.

"You gotta be here for Danno," Charlie announced solemnly to his sister. "It's 'portant for Chrissmas."

"I know it is," Grace said pointedly. "Mom, this isn't fair! Why can't grandpa go alone or ... or, find some other neighbor to get whatever Mrs. Morrissey needs?"

"Grace, your grandfather isn't familiar with the roads or where Mrs. Morrissey even lives. Besides, you know your father would want you to help an old woman in need." Rachel suddenly went in hard, lobbing a guilt-line at her daughter by invoking her father's approval. And it worked - at least for that second - as Grace's mouth slammed closed. It put a halt to the argument. Well, close enough if Rachel ignored the stubborn tilt of her daughter's chin. For now, it was enough and Rachel pointed to the door.

"Hurry up. Get changed; you can't go out like that. Besides, you know you're father wouldn't mind you helping out old Mrs. Morrissey ... and you know it. Especially at Christmas!"

"I don't see the problem, Grace," Rachel's father interrupted as he took Rachel's car keys. "Let's go now so we can come back ... arguing like this is just wasting time."

"She's really in a bind," Rachel added quickly. "She just needs a few things from the grocery store before her son gets in with his family; and while you're out, I _do_ need a few things for dinner tonight. You'll be done in no time."

"Mom!" Grace said, aghast at the growing list of errands. "Mrs. Morrissey ... and you? I have to be _here for dad!_ " She rounded on her mother, getting between her and her grandfather, aiming for reason. "Dad is going to be here any minute ... why can't you just do it?"

"Because ... because your grandmother has a migraine and is sleeping upstairs," Rachel fumbled badly for excuses. At least this was true enough about her mother but the next bit almost proved she was grasping at straws. "And I have food in the oven and your brother to watch! Charlie ... he's still in his pajamas and might need a bath or at least a change of clothes! I have to get his things together before your father gets here ... and there just isn't enough time for me to do it all. Grace, I need you to help right now!"

She got it all out with a calm she didn't feel; her heart was thudding a hole the size of a fist inside of her chest as her best argument began to weaken. At a loss when Grace kept staring at her in disbelief, Rachel grabbed her father's elbow, starting to pilot him away so she could fill him in on certain aspects of the plot because she needed him, too, until she realized Charlie was still standing there in the kitchen, looking sad and lost.

"Both of you! Please! Charlie go to your room; pick out some clean clothes to wear. Grace, please ... _move_! You'll be back before your father even gets here, and even if you run a little late, he won't mind. Go put something on your feet ... Dad, come with me ... I'll explain what Mrs. Morrissey needs and what I need ... while Grace gets ready."

"Seriously!? Do you really think that Dad's not going to _mind_?!" Grace was almost shrieking by now in a high-pitched voice, full of what would be a justifiable outrage in another situation. To make matters worse though, Grace resorted to holding her arms out wide. A Danny-like gesture which Rachel did her best to ignore as she tugged her father out of the room for a fast, private conversation about a certain convenience store in Ewa. Painful as it was, things were going as planned and Rachel felt a tiny surge of victory.

Still, she couldn't help wincing when Grace threatened her with what she'd have to deal with next, the words tossed like grenades into the air as her daughter stormed away to quickly change her clothes.

"Not mind? When Danno gets here, he's going to blow a gasket ... and it's all _your_ fault!"

 _ **~ to be continued ~**_


	4. Chapter 4

**I do not own Hawaii Five-0 or any characters. No copyright infringement intended.**

 **Notes:** _;-)_

 **H5O* H5O* H5O* H5O* H5O**

Grace was practically out of the car before her grandfather had even parked at the convenience mart. Based on the large holiday sign out front, the store was due to close within the hour, but that wasn't really the problem. Not even close to being the _real_ problem.

"I'll get a cart and run over to the dairy section," Grace called out over her shoulder, feeling miserable and angry all rolled up into one. Her grandfather not only drove like molasses, he walked like he was taking a stroll in some countrified English park. He was too slow and time was ticking by too fast! There'd be no way that she'd make it back on time to meet her father at her mother's house. All hell was going to break loose and Grace just couldn't get her heart out of her mouth. She was aching for a nice Christmas and not something like this. Not _another_ mountain of stress over yet another holiday gone wrong between her parents; something that she often felt responsible for. This time though, and Grace found herself clenching her fists around the metal bar of the shopping cart she'd grabbed, what was happening was entirely her mother's fault.

Her mother ... and the Navy for taking her Uncle Steve away at the very worst possible time.

"Come on, Grandpa!" She stage-whispered when she glanced back and saw that he was just barely coming through the automatic doors while she was halfway through the produce aisle. He smiled at her and pointed to the small floral section, loitering as if already distracted and Grace had to bite her lip to keep from hollering more loudly.

"They're pretty," her grandfather called back calmly as if they had all the time in the world. He also didn't care about how loud _he_ was and Grace cringed when people turned to look at them. "Maybe we should get a bouquet for your mother?"

Instead of replying, Grace shook her head vigorously. Frustrated with her grandfather and growing more upset with every passing second by what she felt she was being forced to do, Grace decided to speed off to the dairy section for old Mrs. Morrissey's things. Cream and store-bought eggnog; plus a dozen eggs and even two types of cheeses. This wasn't a few urgent things, it was an all out _shopping_ list and Grace groaned as she realized half the dairy section had been virtually cleaned out prior to the holiday.

What was she supposed to do if half the things weren't even in stock? And if they weren't ... and if Grace had no other choices ... then _she_ was going to blow a gasket because this entire trip had been for nothing!

"This is it?" Grace asked the lone clerk. The boy was about her age and he smiled winningly at her, but Grace had no time to flirt.

"Pretty much," he said. "We got cleaned out and there's no sense in restocking since we're closing up early. We won't see another delivery until the weekend. Maybe."

"Great," she muttered under her breath while quickly choosing what she could for Mrs. Morrissey. There wasn't much left at all, but she managed to at least find some promising substitutions.

"Cheese ... brie? Blue cheese? Where?" She asked next, feeling the need to apologize when the clerk looked disappointed. "Sorry ... I'm in a hurry."

"Yeah, okay," he said. He frowned, clearly discouraged when Grace began to fidget and show no interest at all in talking. "Over there ... but ..."

Before he could even finish what he wanted to say, Grace took off towards where he'd pointed only to also find the international cheese display woefully lacking. At a loss, she picked out what looked good to her, promising to apologize to the older woman should she be upset. Even Grace wasn't too happy with spreadable cheese in a small plastic tub, but what else could she do? Something had to be better than nothing and Grace tossed one, then two small tubs into the bottom of the cart. It was never so true that beggars couldn't be choosers. Mrs. Morrissey had no rights at all to be disappointed with anything Grace managed to bring to her so late on such an important holiday!

Heaving an exasperated sigh, Grace realized that she was alone. Her grandfather wasn't in sight. At all.

"Grandpa?" She called out, hoping he was at least nearby. But he wasn't; he'd never caught up with her and she wanted to scream as she raced back through the produce section, bypassing other people who were hurriedly trying to find last minute things like her, only to see that he was still by the small floral section. In fact, he was holding a large holiday-like bouquet and chatting up the florist behind the counter!

"No, no _no_! What are you doing?" Grace gasped breathlessly when she reached his side. "Why are you still _here_? I thought you'd get what mom wanted! We have to _go_ ... we don't have any more time!"

"Don't you think these very beautiful flowers would be perfect for your mother?" Her grandfather replied. He was calm, smiling and his eyes even dared to twinkle as he thrust the bouquet under her nose. "After all, you are going to owe her an apology for your behavior."

"An _apology_!? Me? For what?" Grace nearly shouted as she forgot her manners entirely. "What did I do?!" What was her grandfather talking about? _Apologize_? Grace had no intention of ever apologizing to her mother for ruining Christmas Day. Danno was upset enough over her grandparents' visit during the holiday, the change in visitation and then ... Uncle Steve. Losing him right before the holiday to what was likely a very serious mission in Korea, had truly sent her father over an edge. He hadn't heard from her Uncle Steve in almost three weeks time and she'd never seen Danno so sad or so quiet. Charlie missed Uncle Steve, and she did too.

"For your behavior. At home," her grandfather replied as if Grace might have lost her mind. Which she was on the verge of as he kept smiling at her.

"No, no way!" She blurted out. What was he thinking? Everything had been going wrong. And now ... _this_? Shopping on Christmas Day at a stupid grocery store for some old lady and being expected to apologize to her mother - who had caused it all - on top of everything else? Grace glared at her grandfather, not about to budge an inch.

" _Flowers_? Why!? She's ruining Christmas and ..." Grace refused to touch the flowers by folding her arms across her chest, surprised with herself when she felt the tell-tale watery sting of tears in her eyes. No, she wasn't going to cry. But her stomach was starting to feel funny and Grace just didn't know what to do anymore.

"Everything's wrong," Grace whispered. She tried to rub the tears away and failed as her throat started to close. Thinking about her Uncle Steve and how devastated her father was, was just too much. With a loud sniffle and willing her lips not to tremble more than they already were, Grace shook her head. Her voice was shaking though as she tried to say just those words to her grandfather.

"... it's just all wrong! Everything is just all messed up. Even Charlie ... the only thing Charlie asked Santa for Christmas was to bring Uncle Steve home! And that? That would be freaking miracle!"

"I guess there is a Santa Claus then, right?" A new voice announced brightly from just behind her left shoulder. There was a soft chuckle and Grace's eyes widened. "Or maybe, Christmas miracles just _do_ happen. Sometimes."

Grace stared at her grandfather, anything else she might have said suddenly frozen inside her brain. _It couldn't be - she was only hearing things._ She made a confused sound, her eyes welling up even more when her grandfather nodded at her, his face suddenly blurred by her tears.

 _But no ... it just couldn't be._

"And as far as messed up? _Nah_. But I do think you're going to have to apologize. I agree with your grandfather, it's got to be these flowers." This very familiar but entirely unexpected voice sent an almost painful trill of tingles clear through to her fingertips and this time, Grace felt her tears start to roll down her cheeks. She couldn't breathe right. She was still petrified to _look_ though; she'd be heartsick if she'd heard wrong.

"Gracie?" Grace's mouth opened as two strong hands settled on her shoulders to physically turn her around. She looked up as she stumbled over her own feet, seeing nothing but a blur of whites, grays and blacks, sure that some horrible trick was being played until her eyes settled on his face.

 _Impossible as it was ... he was real._

"Uncle ... S-steve?" She barely got his name out. She was so afraid she'd be wrong, but he was there. If not for his hands on her shoulders, she might have continued to doubt herself, too. Looking tired and worn and needing a shave, her Uncle Steve was right there in front of her though. Dressed in a plain black tee-shirt and dress camo-pants, wearing of course, military issue boots, he smiled as Grace wavered in place.

"What?" Grace mouthed breathlessly, still afraid to move, afraid to breathe even as he warmly cupped her face between his hands. "Uncle Steve?"

"Merry Christmas, Gracie," Steve said, beaming from ear to ear while bending down to kiss her forehead. "God, I missed you. How's my best girl, huh?"

"Uncle ... _Steve_?" Grace's tears welled large as she stared up into his face in disbelief. One tear hovered on her lashes until it spilled over to roll down her cheek. "Uncle Steve?" She didn't know what to do until she found herself automatically reaching out to him. "Uncle Steve ..."

"Is that all you can say?" Steve laughed softly as she wrapped her arms around his waist, her face buried in his chest. Tears now coming hot and fast. " _Shhh_ ... wow. Tears, Gracie?"

Nodding, Grace began to cry harder even as Steve pulled her in closer, one hand cupped behind her head and the other, warm and strong as it traced soothing circles over her back.

"You're home? For good?" She whispered brokenly, choking the words out as she vainly tried to get herself under control. She soaked him in as she tried to talk and breathe through her tears, feeling the tight ball in her stomach start to unravel as he carded his fingers through her hair over and over again. "You're really, _really_ home? Does Danno _know_ ...?"

"Danny? Not yet ... you're first ... well, really third to know after your mom and grandfather, but we have to move. And I need your help because I want to surprise him ... and Charlie. Are you in because we don't have much time," Steve explained quickly. "I just got here ... literally ... and I needed your mom's help at the last minute because she'd be the last one your father would expect to be involved in this crazy idea of mine."

"Oh God, _mom_. And ... _Charlie_! He's going to be so excited when he sees you!" Grace paused for a moment, leaning back in her uncle's arms. "Uncle Steve, he wrote to Santa and everything about you. He's going to be _so_ surprised!" Craning her head so she could see her Uncle's face, she still couldn't get her tears to stop but at least her brain was trying to kick back in. This had all been setup ... which meant ... what had he just said.

"Mom?! Mom _knew_ ," Grace murmured incredulously. "She made this whole thing up? All of it - the argument at home? Coming here? Including the Mrs. Morrissey thing - it's all made up?"

"It's all made up," her grandfather confirmed happily. He was grinning and practically bouncing in his shoes, pleased that they'd managed to get this far with the last minute plans. "Your mom wanted you out of the house ... and ...without tipping her hand to your baby brother. So this is part of the surprise - you here with your Uncle Steve? This is all part of a very grand plan."

"But Danno is _still_ going to be so mad," Grace laughed through her tears. "He's going to be all over mom when I'm not there ... and ... wow, he's going to be _so_ mad, Uncle Steve! We have to get home quick ..."

"Ah, we're not going back to your mom's house." Steve cocked his head before happily shrugging off Grace's shocked gasp. "Oh, Danno's going to be really mad and your mom is a trooper for taking him on for me. So Grace, I think your mom is going to deserve these flowers from _us_ , don't you think? At least these?"

Grace slowly nodded in agreement as she clung to her Uncle, her fingers wrapped around his forearms as happy tears continued to run down her cheeks. "What are we going to do?" She asked.

"So Gracie," Steve asked with a devilish glint to his eye. He paused to gently swipe the moisture from her face, grinning the entire time. "We've got a lot to do in a very short window of time ... Junior Reigns. Remember him? He got my truck for me off the base and then picked me up from the airport ..."

Grace nodded again, she more knew Junior's name than him, exactly. But it didn't matter because her Uncle was home and Grace was hanging on his every word, her excitement growing as he hurriedly explained what he was planning to do next.

"... so now, Jun's got my truck round back trying to find some clean, empty boxes. Big ones. Then we're all going back to my house. On the way though ... _you_ are going to have to make a very special phone call. A call that's going to hopefully calm Danno down a bit, get him back to the house, and bail your mother out of the boat-load of trouble she's probably in ... all at the same time."

"Oh yeah ... I can do that! Whatever ... I can ... I'm in!" Grace replied quickly as she hugged Steve around the waist, afraid to let him go. She had no idea what he was really talking about, but she was definitely up to the challenge.

"That's my girl," Steve whispered as he kissed the top of her head. "Shall we?" He took the time to gently thumb away what was left of her tears and Grace started to laugh. It was a lot to digest and she was sure that she was missing so much of her uncle's story. But it didn't matter. Not really.

 _Airports, trucks and boxes? Her Uncle Steve ... home ... and in a convenience store?_ None of it made sense but she trusted that in the end, it would. No matter what or when everything came together though, two things were always going to be very very true.

First, that Danno was going to be furious until he found out _why_ ... but secondly and most importantly, this was going to be the best Christmas ever!

 **H5O* H5O**

Rachel took a deep breath, tucked a few stray bits of hair behind an ear, and then opened her front door. The smile on her face was as genuine as she could manage considering what she knew would probably be happening next.

"Danny. Happy Christmas," Rachel said, making every attempt to keep smiling and act as normally as she could while coming face to face with her ex-husband. A man who looked rumpled, tired and who was evidently attempting to smile as much as she was; though Danny's reasons about such a sad attempt were entirely different from hers.

"Merry Christmas," Danny replied succinctly, almost as if he'd practiced the words. With his hands shoved deeply in his pockets, he offered nothing else and Rachel wavered for just an instant. He could barely smile and was dressed in normal street clothes. There was no holiday cheer about the man and Christmas had always been Danny's favorite of seasons. Now more than ever, Rachel understood her daughter's protectiveness.

"Come on in," she said, determined to keep smiling while moving aside for Danny to enter the house. Things were going to be all right. But, her fingers were crossed once more as she said a silent prayer to get her through the sham. To manage for _all_ their sakes because Steve's surprise for Danny and Charlie would be well-worth every painful word soon to come. _After_? Danny would understand and everything would be forgiven; she just had to help get them all get to that point. Screwing her courage together because by this time tomorrow, everything would be more than right in the world, Rachel made sure she stayed smiling as she closed the front door. She also made sure that Danny at least saw Grace's and Charlie's week-ender bags. And next to those, two holiday shopping bags filled to bursting with both wrapped and unwrapped packages.

"What's all this?" Danny asked, pointing to the bags first. "Your parents? It's too much ... Rachel." He sighed as if overwhelmed, a frown barely tucked away before she could really see it.

"No, though there might be one for you in there from mom. You know how she is, Danny. But Grace went shopping and she bought a few gifts ... for you ... and ... and for Steve. Then Charlie, he's excited about a new toy but he wants your help to put it together later. The toy is in one of the bags, so it looks like a lot."

"Okay," Danny answered hollowly, sounding completely unconvinced. He sighed, looking more morose and tired than before and Rachel stopped to really look at him. He'd barely shaved to boot and she could almost swear his shirt wasn't buttoned correctly.

"Are you all right?" Rachel asked. "You look ... exhausted."

"I'm fine," Danny replied. He rubbed his hand through his hair and shrugged. "Haven't slept too well ... but I'm fine. It's good."

"Have you heard from Steve?" She dared to ask because she would ask at any other time. "Any word on when he might be coming home?" Even if she might be poking a bear, Rachel knew she _had_ to ask. This was a normal enough question and it would have been expected of her.

"No. Nothing ... but maybe by the weekend," he said, lips a tight, thin line. "They don't tell us anything, you know?" Danny's face stayed amazingly passive and his voice incredibly steady, but Rachel could see the tension through the tightness of his shoulders and the ongoing fatigue in his eyes. He'd been worrying himself silly for nearly three weeks and now, he was running on fumes, his usual brightness completely missing.

"Where are your parents; the kids?" Danny asked as he shoved his hands back into his pockets.

"My mother's taking a nap. Bad migraine," Rachel said. She wandered to the kitchen where the territory seemed safer, knowing he'd follow along. It was certainly easier to stick with the truth for the moment too, and Rachel continued her friendly ramble.

"Charlie's just had a quick bath ... he got into the Christmas stockings when I wasn't looking ..."

"Chocolate?" Danny sniffed back a dry chuckle. "I can imagine."

"It was everywhere; even in his hair! He's in his room, insisting on picking out something to wear," Rachel explained with a casual air. "He's got to do that part by himself!"

"He does," Danny concurred. His pause then was telling and Rachel tensed as he heaved in a loud breath of air and pushed it out through his teeth while looking around the kitchen with a critical eye. "Rachel? What aren't you telling me? Where's Grace?"

"Oh, well ... Grace ...," Rachel lifted her eyebrows in what she hoped looked comical. Her heart pounded in her chest though because she'd no idea how he'd figured out she was hiding something. Maybe it was as simple as the house itself. It was too darn quiet; Rachel hadn't even kept the TV on or put holiday music to play softly in the background. It was so quiet, you could literally hear a pin drop. With a five year old and a temperamental teenager on an exciting Christmas Day, this was completely out of the ordinary. Swallowing hard and transitioning as smoothly as she could into her fabricated story, Rachel continued to smile even if her lips were starting to feel numb.

"Old Mrs. Morrissey needed a few things and Grace ... she and dad ran out to the store. They should be back any minute."

"I'm sorry. What?" Danny asked quietly, his voice as cold as ice. " _Who_? Grace isn't here?"

Rachel cleared her throat because swallowing again simply wasn't going to happen without a coughing fit. She was horrified as she watched Danny not only run his hands roughly through his hair, but then drag them both down his face. It made his already tired eyes look liquid, misty. But not as if he might cry, as if he was gearing up to ... or trying really hard not to ... scream at her. Heartbroken by what he must be thinking, Rachel wracked her brain trying to remember what Steve had told her on the phone.

There was going to be a timed phone call; timed to when Steve thought Danny would be at the house. But Rachel's brain went as numb as her lips. Was he going to call and tell her what to say or do? Or, was ... her dad ... or Grace going to call to help defuse things? No matter which scenario it was, Rachel hoped that it would be sooner rather than later because, as Danny's face hardened, her original sense of purpose was quickly fading away.

"Danny ...," she tried to find her voice and stopped instantly when Danny held his hand up in front of her face.

"No. Are you telling me that my eldest child ... isn't here right now, Rachel?" Danny's voice was just above that of a whisper, the tone now approaching dangerous waters. "That ... she's not here ... on Christmas Day?"

"Mrs. Morrissey," Rachel repeated carefully. Her lips twitched ridiculously as she did her level best to keep smiling and play it all off as if it were nothing at all even though Danny was beginning to stare at her in the most disturbing of ways. Her ramble became a stuttered mess of syllables and sound as she fought to keep the plot going. "Around the corner here? Mrs. Morrissey is so old ... and she was really in a bind. Her family. They're here and she needed a few things from the convenience mart. Grace ... and dad? They ran out ... just ... but, they'll be back any minute - barring traffic."

"And you said yes?" Danny shook his head in disbelief, his hands free of his pockets but now balled into fists. He wasn't only angry, he was irate. "You've _got_ to be kidding me."

If looks could have killed, Rachel would have fallen dead flat out on the floor right then and there. She opened her mouth, clueless as to how to proceed and praying for some sort of intervention - _anything_ \- when Charlie came bursting into the kitchen.

"Danno!" Bare feet thudding across the tiled floor, hair combed but already mussed out of place, shirt on backwards, he flung himself around his father's legs. "Hi Danno!"

"Hey buddy!" With an incredible ease, Rachel watched in awe as Danny's entire demeanor changed on the fly. He didn't even look all that _tired_ anymore. With Charlie his focus, Danny was already smiling and bending down to swing his son up into his arms. The changes in him were so startling that Rachel was left reeling and not just a tiny bit ... jealous.

"Hey there, buddy! I heard you got into the chocolate stash, huh?" Danny said as he finger-combed Charlie's damp hair off his forehead. He bounced the little boy gently in his arms. "So tell me. Santa was good to you this year? No coal ... nothing like that?"

" _Uh huh_ ," Charlie said, blue eyes like saucers as he loosely linked his arms around his father's neck. "Real good!"

"That's great and I can't wait to see what you got ... _but_ I hear that Santa came to my place too," Danny said. "I think there might be some more presents under my tree for you and your sister. Can you believe that?"

If Charlie's eyes were big before, Rachel had to grin at how large they became at Danno's exciting news. It didn't matter how angry her ex-husband was with her; if she could get through the next few minutes and get them on their way to stage two of this grand plan of Steve's, the loop would close in a nice, tidy pretty holiday bow.

Caught up as she watched Danny with Charlie, Rachel startled badly as her phone rang. _'Thank God,_ ' she thought to herself. She fumbled for the device, thrilled for the timing of the call, but aware that Danny was watching ... and listening. Again.

"Dad?" Rachel asked as she answered the call. Her voice sounded thin to her own ear; even louder than it should be. Her heart was back to thudding too and she could swear that beads of sweat were collecting at the base of her throat. As they got to this final step, no matter her private pep talks, her nerves were unraveling and she wasn't sure how to forge on. But this _was_ the final step and it just had to all come together. She had to get her focus back.

"Dad?" She asked again when there was a delay. "Hello?"

 _'No, mom it's me.'_ Grace's voice finally greeted her and Rachel rediscovered her smile with her daughter's next very quiet words. _'I'm ... sorry. Really ...and things are great. Just so, so great!'_

"I know and that's just ... wonderful," Rachel murmured, relishing some of this early success and using it to bolster up her flagging courage as Danny loomed nearby. "I know... okay, yes, I know ...," she repeated as she glanced up to bravely catch Danny's eye.

"But Grace? Your father's here ... where are you, two? Are you on your way back?"

 _'Ready mom? I bet he's mad, right?'_ Grace said. Her voice had fallen to a conspiratorial whisper topped off with a soft giggle. _'Put me on speaker and just ... just don't say anything, okay? Uncle Steve told me what to do. It'll be all right. I promise; we both promise.'_

"She wants to talk to both of us," Rachel explained to Danny as she thumbed the speaker feature on the cell phone. "Grace? Go ahead now ... you're on speaker."

"Grace? Where are you? When are you going to get back?" Danny interrupted. His tone was clipped and he was struggling to control his temper, the way he was gently rocking and bouncing Charlie in his arms were the only other clues to his level of stress. It was as if he needed to hold his son in order to keep himself in check and Rachel didn't doubt the truth of that.

 _'Dad!"_ Grace's voice was cheery over and overly loud, not a hint showing of her own prior anger and Rachel felt a surge of pride ... and hope.

 _'Well, that's the thing. Grand-dad got all turned around and we're so close to your house ... to Uncle Steve's ... that to save time, I told him just to drop me off. We're almost there. So, can you just grab my things and come over now? It will save so much time and grandpa doesn't mind at all ...'_

 _'No! No I don't mind at all!_ ' Rachel's father was heard in the background, his tone just as happy.

 _'So so sorry for this debacle Daniel ... traffic was bad and I got a bit lost ... but Grace tells me we're close and after, I'll run these goodies over to your neighbor, Rachel. I bet that's all just fine.'_

"Danny?" Rachel whispered hopefully, begging for his approval when he didn't say a word. "Is that okay?" Her fingers were once more wedged behind her back and crossed so tightly, she swore they were creaking. She couldn't read his expression; not at all. It was almost as if he didn't quite trust things and that would be bad in so many ways. Rachel floundered helplessly as Danny seemed to dwell too long on the situation and what was starting to feel like a badly contrived and very fake ... _story_.

 _'Dad?'_ Grace called out when there was no response at all to what what she or her grandfather had offered as a solution. _'Dad? Mom? You guys there?'_ Grace asked again. _'This makes sense, right? Right? Hello!?'_

The ongoing silence was deafening as Rachel and Danny just stared at each other, neither moving. At least Danny didn't look as angry, but he certainly wasn't happy either. Nothing that Grace had said had eked even the tiniest of smiles out of him. Feeling awkward and not knowing what to do, Rachel felt the need to at least let her daughter know that they could hear her.

"We're here, Grace ... just ... hold on a minute," Rachel said before softly prompting Danny one last time. "I'm so sorry, but is this all right? If they're closer to the house than here, it does seem like the better option. Doesn't it?"

"Yeah, yeah. Okay. Fine, ..." Danny finally replied as he let Charlie slide back down to the floor. "Sure. Why not." With one hand anchored to the top of Charlie's head, Danny wearily rubbed his other over his face before tossing it helplessly into the air.

The gesture was sad and tugged hard at Rachel's heart because they'd really not given Danny any choice at all. While they all truly had the best intentions in mind, the ruse was very simply ... hurtful and Rachel felt the need to apologize again. Even reassuring herself that by tomorrow, this would all be water on the bridge, wasn't good enough for her at that moment.

"Danny, I'm sorry. Really," Rachel whispered as softly as she could, just for his ears alone. But Danny was already turning away from her, his final words meant for his daughter.

"I'll leave now with Charlie; Grace, I'll bring your things and ... I'll be home in a few minutes."

 _ **~ to be continued ~**_


	5. Chapter 5

**I do not own Hawaii Five-0 or any characters. No copyright infringement intended.**

 **Notes: hmmm -** _3 chapters my Aunt Bessie ... safe to say, I'm doubling that initial estimate. Many thanks to Phoebe for the sanity checks which have apparently become necessary!_

 **H5O* H5O* H5O* H5O* H5O**

"Daddy? Are you mad?" Charlie asked innocently. He was in the back, seat-belted in his booster seat and turning what looked like a plastic part of some new toy over and over between his fingers. He was dividing his attention between the toy and what he could see of Danny's face in the mirror.

"No. No not really," Danny said, trying to include a smile to reassure his son. To be honest though, if he wasn't exactly angry, he didn't know _what_ he was feeling.

"Okaaaayy." Charlie sighed the word out with a very dramatic lilt, making Danny grin for the first time that week. "'Cause Grace sure was mad ..."

"Oh?" Danny asked, a little confused until Charlie cleared the air.

"Yeah, she was mad about old Missus Morssee," Charlie explained. He'd slaughtered the old woman's last name but Danny's grin wasn't staying plastered across his face for that reason.

"Your sister didn't want to go to the store?" Danny said, filling in the blanks. He glanced quickly in the rearview mirror, catching Charlie's adamant head nod.

"Nope!" Charlie added. "Grace was mad! She wanted to stay home ... and wait for you." His feet were kicking now as he squirmed up higher in the safety seat. "Like me!"

"Well, that's okay," Danny said. He was feeling a bit pleased though. He felt warmer inside. The tiny bit of knowledge about his daughter's sensibilities combined with getting distance between himself and his ex-wife's house was slowly quelling his temper. No, it was more than that. His kids wanted to be with him. Danny smiled at that and he calmed down even more the closer he got towards home. Just like Charlie had done, Danny inhaled long and low, exhaling his own confirmation under his breath.

"Okaaayy," he breathed out quietly. This tiny nit was just that - tiny and already over. And in all actuality, helping someone in need at Christmas would have been the right thing to do and Danny made a face at his own selfishness as he drove. Whomever this old Mrs. Morrissey was, if she'd needed something then he should have been proud of his daughter pitching in to help someone and just _maybe_ not as angry as he'd been. No matter his personal sensitivities over the reasons behind why his ex-wife might be doing something. That was the real issue though, wasn't it? Not Grace having helped someone as much as how or why Rachel might have orchestrated it?

It no longer mattered since Grace was waiting for him at home. It had all worked out and Danny purged those last few minutes with Rachel from his mind. Grace had sounded happy and excited on the phone; her solution with her grandfather had been very smart indeed. Danny grinned proudly; whether she knew it or not, Grace had managed to defuse an iffy situation. But as he glanced in the rearview mirror to check on his son, Danny's happy moment dimmed.

"When is Uncle Steve coming home?" Charlie asked when their eyes met. He yawned and blinked tiredly, but his question stood even if he was starting to fall asleep to the motion of the car.

"I'm not sure, buddy," Danny replied in all honesty. "Soon ... maybe soon." His eyes fell back to the road as he drove, hoping his uncertain answer would be enough, at least in the short term.

Trying to celebrate Christmas at Steve's, without Steve, was going to be ... difficult. It was another worry he'd begun to dwell on. On the heels of that worry, he wound up quietly cursing himself as Charlie quieted and began to doze more heavily in the back seat. It wasn't going to be as hard on the kids as much as on him. In fact, Danny had tried to stay away from the house as much as possible. The rambling structure was far too big and empty to rattle around in. Its nooks and crannies - which he'd never even noticed before - were dark and ominous. They made Danny feel insignificant and just ... more lost ... more alone.

Plus, the place and its emptiness gave Danny more time to think and that was never a good thing. For one, Danny knew that Steve had been watching him rock Charlie back to sleep in the living room just before leaving for Korea that night. Danny had sensed it and had been afraid to turn around. He'd been afraid that Steve would see the devastated look on his face and Steve ... Steve didn't _need_ to shoulder that before a mission. The man had a job to do and Danny couldn't be responsible for heaping any of his own emotional issues on top of things which required his partner to be focused. Danny was far from being that stupid - that selfish.

What Danny privately berated himself about - all his fears and worries - they ran far deeper than this one mission. He wished his head would stay on the night when Steve left. That he could stay within the quiet of a multicolored haze of dimly lit Christmas lights. Instead, his brain insisted on beating him up over other nightmarish memories.

 _Korea_ and Danny's own experiences there. Of the jungle and the thickness of its heat and humidity which made taking a single breath of rancid air near impossible. Of Steve, before Danny had truly recognized his own feelings for the man. _Of Steve_ ... and of desperately searching for him ... finding him beaten and sick - but very much alive - in the rear of a military vehicle. Of how it had gotten worse later with Jenna Kaye and her forced duplicity.

 _Korea_ again. Nearly losing Steve ... _again_. And by that point in time, Danny had known how much he'd loved Steve even if neither of them had actually said the words.

So even now as he drove home with his son in the backseat and his daughter waiting for him, Danny wound up _there._ Replaying images, some real and some contrived, playing mental games with himself. Conjuring up bad thoughts which had not only kept him up every single night since Steve had left, but lurked like the demons they were during the daylight hours, too.

Danny hated what he was doing to himself with every fiber of his being. He hated where Steve likely was; he hated not knowing. Danny only wanted it all to be over ... back to normal ... because this feeling of abject helplessness was surely going to kill him.

In the silence of his car and no matter how hard he tried to fight it, Danny found himself mired into that mental death-trap. He argued it and failed a little bit more because, when he got to the house, Danny merely thumbed the ignition off. He couldn't quite bring himself to get out of the car. For a few solitary minutes, he stared blankly at the front door and its happy holiday wreath.

"Get out of the car," Danny chanted under his breath. He felt numb though even if Grace was inside waiting; even if he had his kids and there was no "at least" to add to that wonderful fact.

Nevertheless and with a weary sigh, Danny closed his eyes and leaned forward. He rested his forehead on the steering wheel and argued himself to gather the energy to get moving because just maybe ... Steve would call today.

 **H5O* H5O**

"Get out of here now, Jun! He can't see my truck!" Steve barked the command as he checked the time since Rachel had texted him about Danny leaving her house with Charlie. "T minus eight minutes you two! Hurry it up!"

"Yes, Sir! Just one more piece, Sir!" The younger man snapped out as Steve heard him peel and rip one final and very long piece of gray duct tape off the roll. The large patch-worked box Steve was hiding in rocked a bit as another layer of reinforcement was smoothed over one of its many seams.

"Almost done, Uncle Steve!" Grace added. She was laughing - they all had been laughing the entire time actually. The hasty assembly of one sad-looking but sturdy-enough box which could hold one tall and very lanky Navy SEAL was a comedy unto itself. But they'd gotten it done, albeit with zero time to spare.

"Almost isn't good enough!" Steve complained. "Hurry! Junior ... come on!" Inside the box, he too was doing the same thing with his own roll of duct tape. Reinforcing seams, damp spots and covering up holes in the cardboard he'd been basically shoe-horned into.

"Leaving now, Sir," Junior said. The younger man was laughing and as breathless as Grace, extremely pleased to have had a hand in the pending surprise. "I'd love to see the video, Sir ... Grace ... this is going to be great."

"Definitely," Steve agreed. "Thanks Junior ... I couldn't have done half of this without your help!"

"Happy to, Sir," Junior replied with another laugh. "Good luck!"

"Thanks Junior!" Steve heard Grace giggle. "Okay. Uncle Steve? I think ... I think that's the best we can do and I'm almost done with the wrap," she said as she took over where Junior had left off. He sensed her moving around the box, adding tape and smoothing out the wrapping paper in spots.

"How's it looking?" he asked.

There was a pause and another giggle. "It looks pretty good! This is going to be _so_ great!"

Her job was to gift wrap the box which she'd been doing as each section had been completed. Steve had reams of Christmas paper and Grace was having a grand time using it all up. He was pleased with the results so far - at least what he was imagining them to be. With the sun shining in through the large lanai glass doors and his cell phone light on, it wasn't all that dark where he was sitting, but he was blind to the outside world. But ... and Steve wiggled his nose and scrunched his face in distaste as that faint odor of spoiled milk and maybe even raw eggs ... or some old meat of some kind ... wafted inside the small, semi-darkened space. That was ... annoying at best.

It didn't _really_ matter though. Even with his knees drawn up to his chest as he sat inside a cardboard box which he'd quite literally been duck-taped and Christmas-wrapped into, Steve was comfortable enough. If he was selfish for a just a minute, he was tired and this was the first time he'd had a chance to relax since landing that morning. It didn't matter that he'd only taken his boots off and that he was in desperate need of a shower. The odor in the box was far worse. Besides, he could wait on all of that because quite simply, it would happen later. He had time to spare for showers, shaves and changes of clothes. He'd rather be precisely where he was at that very minute, feeling tired and a bit less than 'fresh', then being stuck on a distant military base, still waiting for the transport. It was amazing really. If he hadn't acted when he had, he'd still be there with his team, still be unable to get _warm_. He'd still have that sick, uncomfortable feeling inside his chest where he couldn't get the image of Charlie's sad, frightened eyes out of his head. Things were much much different now though.

"Grace?" He called out from his hiding place. "What are you doing?" He might not be able to see a thing outside of his tiny realm, but he could sense her moving about the living room. Near the large box he hid in, then by the Christmas tree, and sometimes by the fireplace mantle. She'd been busy with other things since getting there, too. The homey scent of freshly brewed coffee percolated through the house, combined with the pleasant odor of lit pine-scented candles. She'd just begun to play holiday tunes; the beat happy and maybe the music just a bit too loud. Steve didn't care though. It all just ... fit.

"Uncle Steve?" The direction of Grace's voice told him that she was standing near the Christmas tree. "I got Charlie's present out of the trunk of the car ... it's under the tree now." There was the sound of a satisfied sigh followed by a girlish giggle.

"It's all so perfect!"

"Thanks Grace," Steve said. He smiled to himself, enjoying her laughter. She was right: things couldn't have been more perfect. Grace even had Charlie's letter to Santa which the little boy had given to his sister in confidence. The one asking for Uncle Steve to come home as a Christmas present. Grace had promised to mail it. Instead, she'd kept it hidden in her diary. A happy accident that now would serve a very good purpose.

Steve didn't know what to think of that one once he'd read it. He didn't know how to react at all. But Grace's next idea to tape the letter to the front of the box after wrapping Steve inside was utter perfection. Charlie would recognize his own letter to Santa ... and he was a smart kid. He'd know right away that something important was about to happen ... and then? Then, he'd be anxious to unwrap the box!

Steve grinned as he imagined the boy's excitement, knowing he probably looked foolish. He couldn't stop smiling inanely to himself though. He didn't want or need anything else in his life and their surprise - Grace's, Danny's and Charlie's - was gift enough for him.

"Danno's going to flip," Grace said for the thousandth time. "He's been so sad ... and tired. With you gone, he worked nonstop. Every time I called him, he was at the office. Working. I think he might have even gone in this morning. I know he was there last night and I bet he solved every cold case on Oahu."

"Did he?" Steve sobered briefly at this unexpected update. "Did he, Grace?" If true, this wasn't funny at all. Even Grace's glib comment about her father having probably solved every cold case in Hawaii? No, not funny at all. Steve hadn't anticipated Danny throwing himself into his job, but why wouldn't he have? Especially if Rachel had taken the children on him for a prolonged period of time?

"Grace?" Steve asked when he was met with silence. He fidgeted, an unease unsettling his sense of excitement. "Gracie? What's up? Is he here?" He heard a sharp inhale of breath and then got the confirmation he was hoping for.

"Yeah! He's here ... dad's here! " The smile was back in her voice and Steve rediscovered his, too. Danny was _home_ ... _Steve_ was home ... and he'd fix it now. They all deserved this time together and nothing was going to get in the way.

"Umm? Uncle Steve? He's just sitting there ... not moving," Grace announced in confusion. "Why isn't he getting out of the car?"

"So? Go get 'em tiger!" Steve laughed to her as he anchored his arms around his knees. With one final deep breath as he heard the front door open, he settled in and began to control his breathing, all the while smiling like a loon.

 _ **~ to be continued ~**_


	6. Chapter 6

**I do not own Hawaii Five-0 or any characters. No copyright infringement intended.**

 **Notes:** _Happy New Year! On now to the great reveal ... the unwrapping of Steve. Yes to the guest, too,who mentioned chapters and such. That WOULD BE funny as I'm an unreliable sort with chapter counts. I don't know more than half the time what's going to happen ..._

 _My thanks to all for such wonderful reviews. They each mean so much._

 **H5O* H5O* H5O* H5O* H5O**

Danny put on his best face when Grace ran out to greet him at the car. Together, they woke Charlie from his impromptu nap and brought in all the bags.

"It's nice Grace ... better than nice," Danny said as he entered the house, pausing on the threshold to absorb how pretty everything looked. "And I'm okay. Really."

Based on her critical expression though, she still needed reassurance about him being fine. Grace wasn't convinced and Danny rolled his eyes towards the ceiling.

"Grace. Stop. I'm fine!" Danny insisted. What Charlie might not yet notice, his older sister easily honed in on and Danny'd taken too long, not only to get out of the car, but also to smile. Going under his teenager's microscope might be something Danny never got used to as she pursed her lips together quite unhappily.

"You're still mad at mom then? About the store...?" She asked next, looking worried. "Because it all worked out okay."

"It did work out and no, I'm not mad at your mother," Danny said patiently. _At least not any more,_ he added silently and for his own benefit. He grinned to ease his daughter's mind and pressed a kiss to the top of her head. Now wasn't the time for any of his depressive thoughts.

"The house looks great," he repeated, and he honestly meant it. "Merry Christmas, monkey." He didn't often use her childish nickname anymore, but it was warranted. And this time, even her teenage nose didn't turn up in a snit. Instead, Grace beamed at him for the praise. It was all true though. After working himself up on the drive over, he hadn't expected to _feel_ anything different, yet in the short time his daughter had been there, the house was already brimming with life. With the Christmas tree lights burning and the scented candles flickering, and with holiday music playing in the background, the atmosphere was nothing like he'd feared. The soft scent of brewing coffee only complemented the warmth of the house no matter the time of day.

"Merry Christmas, Danno," Grace replied, finally appeased, happily linking their arms together. "Hey Charlie? Santa was here ... he left you something super special." Needing no more encouragement than that, the little boy dropped his weekender bag. He was off like a shot towards the living room, leaving them both laughing.

"Grace!" Charlie gasped his sister's name a moment later. Already back, he was breathless from excitement and tugging hard on her hand, pulling her towards the tree.

"Easy, it's not going anywhere!" Danny had to laugh at his children's antics. This kind of _different_ was good and he relaxed, chuckling at the sound of his son's excited shouts for him next.

"Hurry, Danno! _He_ was here! Really here!"

"I know he was ..." Danny said as he rounded the corner, expecting to see _not_ what he saw at all. "Oh ..." His voice trailed off instantly. This was ... different. Again.

" _Noooooo_! But look!" Charlie complained when Danny stopped in the doorway to the room. He grabbed at Danny's hand, dragging him closer, bags and all banging against his legs, towards the tree. "Look ...see! Santa was really really here!"

"Uhhh?" Danny made an ineloquent sound as he stared at the large box which his son was so excited about. The bags he'd been holding fell with a soft thud to the floor. It - this box - hadn't been there before and he glanced at Grace suspiciously, but his daughter was shaking her head. "Grace?" He gestured at the very large and extremely garishly-wrapped package. "So?"

"What? Me? It was here when I got here with grand-dad," Grace said, all doe-eyed innocence. "I just assumed ... you know ... "

"Nope," Danny said, as he recovered his wits. "Not buying it. Did your grandparents put you up to this ...because if that's a dirt bike or a surf board or some crazy, expensive ..."

"No. No. It wasn't them ... at least as far as I know," Grace insisted. "Grandpa left me off after I showed him how to use the GPS on his phone to get back to mom's house ... to drop off Mrs. Morrissey's stuff. I managed the alarm and ... well ... it was here. All I did was put the tree lights on and make some coffee."

"Uh huh,' Danny said as she piloted him towards the sofa. Briefly, he wondered if he'd need his weapon. If Grace was telling the truth and she'd no idea how the thing had gotten into the house ... then maybe this supposed _gift_ wasn't exactly on the up and up ... but Grace was giggling and she'd pulled her cell phone out. Much like she'd just done to him, Danny pursed his lips into a thin white line. Her response to his unhappy expression was to laugh teasingly at him.

"Come on dad, it's Christmas ... not a bomb," Grace giggled.

"Says you," he muttered under his breath.

"Hey, maybe it's a pony," Grace offered slyly as she thumbed the video feature on to capture her brother's reaction to whatever was in the box. "Wouldn't that be cool?"

"Better not be a pony ..." Danny hissed quietly between his teeth as he watched Charlie start to rip the colorful paper off, bit by bit.

"What do you think it is, Charlie?" Grace gently coaxed while videoing. "What do you think Santa brought?" Danny frowned as he looked his daughter's way. Eyes shining in anticipation, Grace was focused solely on her brother so much so, that Danny was now firmly convinced that his daughter knew something.

"I dunno," Charlie whispered in a tone which Danny had never quite heard before. Danny narrowed his eyes, suddenly more interested than he had been originally. It was a tone full of wonder and hope ... as if his son might know or at least suspect what the box held. As he got down to the cardboard itself, giving a tug on a piece of duct tape, red and green tissue paper billowed out and Charlie not only looked over his shoulder, wide eyes searching for his father's face ... he gave out with a small cry of stunned wonder when he crouched down to look back into the box. This startled half gasp-part cry should have been Danny's first clue. But what got him moving was the way his son literally stiffened, his small hands suddenly tightly fisted.

"Charlie?" Danny blurted worriedly. Alarm at Charlie's first reaction quickly turned to shock of his own when something inside the box moved. The red and green paper tissue paper _moved_ ... it was pushed out only to flutter to the ground ... as a _hand_ emerged.

"Charlie!" Danny sprang to his feet, barking his shins so hard against the wooden frame of the coffee table that he yelped and promptly lost his balance. Everything was happening too fast then as a body followed that hand. "Owe! Shit!" Arms wind-milling and eyes wide, Danny stumbled over his own two feet. He sat back down on the sofa only to stumble right back up again as his son reached his arms out ... to ... his uncle.

"Steve?" Danny blinked, feeling dizzy and entirely confused. " _Steven_?"

"Language Daniel. What have you told me about little ears? Huh?" Steve reprimanded him gently as he gathered Charlie to his chest, already forgetting Danny for that special moment when Charlie wrapped his arms and legs around him. "Hey buddy ... Merry Christmas," he murmured to Charlie as he rubbed his back soothingly, still on his knees.

"S-Steve?" Danny stammered, his eyes as big as Charlie's now. "How?"

"Santa did it. He did it," Charlie said through a muffled combination of sniffles and hiccups. His face was buried in his uncle's neck and Danny wasn't even sure who Charlie was talking to. Maybe it was only to himself because that tone of awe and wonder was still in his voice. " Santa did it… he answered my letter. He did ... he did."

"Letter?" Danny whispered, feeling dizzy as he watched the incredible sight before him. He rubbed hard at his chest as his breathing faltered painfully. He stared at the box and Christmas paper, then at Steve. The mussed hair and the black tee-shirt; those damnable military fatigues. Trying with what was left of his buzzing oxygen-starved brain to understand and process everything all at once.

"Dad? Dad, go to him." Danny barely heard Grace's voice; he hardly registered her soft laughter or the fact that she was now videoing his stunned reaction. In fact, everything around him had reversed direction to tunnel to a pinpoint. At its center was just ... Steve. He moved though. Some part of him managed to get numb legs to cooperate until he was standing behind his son, staring down into Steve's face. Which was ... completely impossible? Wasn't it?

"Hi Danno," Steve whispered, his voice sounding hoarse from emotion. Shaking his head in awe, Danny reached his right hand out, curving it around Steve's cheek only to run his fingers through his hair. He paused in wonder as Steve looked up at him before he turned his head just enough to kiss the palm of Danny's hand. He got up then, his fingers somehow interlaced with Danny's, easily bringing Charlie up with him, too, the little boy doing nothing more than locking his arms around his uncle's neck and his legs around his waist.

"Surprise," Steve whispered softly, his lips curved upwards into a gentle smile. "Merry Christmas."

Danny blinked, not only incapable of speech but also of taking his eyes off Steve's face. He stood there stock-still as Steve released his hand only to grasp the side of his neck. The warmth of his fingers tangible, his thumb a solid presence which rubbed a short path along the bend of his jawline. And his subsequent laugh when Danny still didn't say or do a damned thing ... the _sound_ of Steve's breathy inane chuckle? That at least made the fist inside of Danny's stomach begin to unravel, even if he still couldn't wheeze in a puff of air.

"Danny, you've got to breathe, buddy," Steve chuckled again at Danny's apparent non-reaction. But he _was_ reacting. Steve had to feel the way Danny's heartbeat was pounding through the thin skin of his neck; hell, he could easily see that Danny was struggling just to take a single breath as his eyes began to water. Steve had to feel the way Danny was beginning to vibrate when he pulled him in. He had to _see_ how Danny closed his eyes when he leaned down to kiss his forehead, then his cheek, his lips partly open as he struggled just to inhale.

"Hey buddy? Are you okay?" Steve asked a question which Danny was sure he didn't know the answer to. At least not yet because he was both okay and so not okay all at the same time. He couldn't quite grasp the fact that Steve was standing right in front of him, Charlie cuddled in his arms. His son's happy tears and soft sniffles clearly audible even if the blood was rushing through Danny's own ears and he thought he might still be dreaming.

He inhaled, promptly coughed, and tried to nod, but his head merely bobbled awkwardly on his neck. With his left hand splayed wide on Steve's chest, Danny opened his mouth. Steve was warm and apparently all right ... but ...

"Are ... are you hurt anywhere?" Danny wheezed. _Dumb question._ It was ... _stupid_. But he had to ask because - if this was happening - then why else would Steve be home? He blinked just as stupidly when Steve merely smiled at him. "Are you ...okay? I mean ... "

Danny was jabbering and breathing hard, but he couldn't stop himself. He couldn't because ... that's what happened in _Korea_ ... it sucked Steve in and then it spit him out, sick and near death. It had happened before and could have easily happened again. So even if Danny knew his thoughts and the resulting questions might be idiotic at best, he had to ask ... he _had_ to. Because Steve _had_ to be injured. Danny's heart leapt upwards into his mouth as he raked his gaze over Steve from top to bottom, his fingers almost clawing the front of Steve's shirt. Feeling both sick and hopeful when he couldn't see a damned thing wrong, he managed to get his mouth to work again.

"... I mean ... they wouldn't have sent you _home_ unless ... unless something _bad_ happened. Unless you were hurt."

"Calm down. Breathe. I'm not hurt ... not even a paper cut. Promise ...," Steve whispered softly as he lovingly carded his fingers through Danny's hair. "Missions' over ... got home as fast as I could. That's all. It's that simple. Really."

As if trying to get Danny to follow suit, Steve inhaled deeply. But his gentle smile slowly became unsure. In kind, Steve searched Danny's eyes, his face. Apparently not wholly liking what he saw; possibly even shocked by the half-fearful look in Danny's eyes compounded by the stress lines which showed even more around his mouth due to the stark paleness of his complexion. Steve's lips quivered as he shook his head, too.

"I'm not hurt, Danno," Steve murmured. "But I was ... _hurting_ ...on the inside. Until now."

Danny garbled a nonsensical sound which was meant to communicate that he agreed and felt the same way. He couldn't draw in a proper breath of air though. He'd no words inside his head that might work well enough either, so in silence Danny let his head fall forward. He let his hand relax on Steve's chest before snugging it around Steve's back, his other reaching around Charlie. Eyes closing as Steve's free arm pulled him in even tighter, Danny lay his head against Steve's chest.

"Grace ..." Danny heard Steve whisper. He rocked his head where it rested against Steve's chest, his view of his daughter a haze of pretty colors through the tears in his eyes. "Grace, come here."

As one, he and Steve moved just enough to bring Grace into the circle, allowing Danny the chance to press a kiss to the top of his daughter's head.

 _Steve, Danny. Charlie and Grace. And impossibly ... back to Steve._

Not wanting to move ever again in his life, Danny's fingers found purchase in the material of Steve's tee-shirt. Desperate to breathe and not knowing or caring where each of them began or ended, Danny gulped in a lungful of air when he felt Steve's embrace tighten, pulling them all in closer.

 _ **~ to be continued ~**_


	7. Chapter 7

**I do not own Hawaii Five-0 or any characters. No copyright infringement intended.**

 **Notes:** _the ever-elusive ending ... and a very squishy ending at that. But it was always meant to be holiday "fluff". If anyone is interested, the idea for this is directly from a real viral video which is now on Youtube. Just search: Army Dad Hides in Christmas Gift Box to Surprise Son. To me, that had Steve written all over it._

 _My thanks to Phoebe for the help and support to get here! Merry Christmas! Happy New Year!_

 _PS - a small bit of Fanart was added to Chapter 6 over on A03._

 **H5O* H5O* H5O* H5O* H5O**

Steve hovered over the turkey he was expected to carve and serve. He changed out his choice of a carving knife three times and now he was using the smallest he had from the carving block. Yet, he still hesitated.

"So what did you have to do? Strike a deal with the devil so you could come home?" Danny whispered the words teasingly into Steve's ear as tried to figure out which way to carve up the smallish-turkey Danny had ordered ... yes, _ordered_ ... from a gourmet caterer.

"Me? You bought a ready-made bird," Steve griped back, disgust showing on his face. He used the carving knife to point to what he considered a very sad excuse for a Christmas supper. "From a store. It had to be _warmed_ up in the oven ... it's going to taste like dried dust. What the hell's wrong with you? Who does something like this?"

He aimed a horrified look at the covered tins holding mashed potatoes, green beans, a reddish-jellied thing which he didn't even want to know about, and what might be a brownish gravy. Their see-through lids were misty from sweat since he'd pulled them from the refrigerator, making them look even less appealing.

"I don't want to know what you were thinking ... what is all this stuff? We even got _real_ turkey in the mess hall when we were deployed! Geez, MRE's are better ..."

"MRE's? What?! Do you know how much this set me back? I ordered this spread from a caterer! A very _good_ caterer! Besides, you're lucky there's anything here at all," Danny said peevishly. He waved his hands back towards the lanai where his kids were. "Because if it weren't for them, I'd probably be ..."

"... at the office," Steve finished the sentence for him. His expression smug when Danny looked at him in surprise. "Yeah I know! Grace told me. Again, I repeat ... what the hell's wrong with you?" This time the comment was laced with annoyance for where Danny'd chosen to spend the large majority of his time.

"So? I was bored," Danny said probably more defensively than he'd intended because _bored_ really meant _worried out of his mind_ and he knew that Steve _knew_ that. "You weren't here; Rachel had the kids. What else was I supposed to do? Sit around here and watch four walls or binge watch some God-awful Hallmark special on TV?"

Sighing loudly, Steve made a face before shaking his head. There was no right answer. The timing of everything had honestly just been bad. He opened his mouth to saying something else about Danny having worked though and then decided not to go down that particular road. They were both tired, a little slap-happy, and their usual banter could easily - and very accidentally - tip over to the wrong side of funny.

"Well, for one, maybe you could have at least gone out and bought a _real_ turkey?" Steve teased with a much lighter tone. He gave a dramatic almost petulant sniff while sticking out his bottom lip. "Look at it. I almost feel bad for the poor little thing. We'll be lucky if we can feed Charlie, let alone the four of us. I think it shrunk in the oven."

"Oh come on! It's not that bad!" Danny insisted. "I ran out of time ..."

"It's a _baby_ chicken, Danny!" Steve interrupted with a chuckle. "The teeniest, tiniest ... itty bitty ... _pigeon_ .. and where's the stuffing? It's not in here." Steve poked at the bird, making a show of looking high and low for the anticipated home-made stuffing. "Oh I know! There isn't any because there's no room for it in this tiny little baby bird! Don't you _dare_ tell me it's in one of those take-out container things."

" _Pigeon_!? Oh my God. _Stop_! It's not that bad!" Danny exclaimed, smiling now as he stood on tiptoe to rest his chin on Steve's shoulder to monitor his progress ... and then promptly grimaced. He pushed off Steve's hips with both hands.

"Now what?" Steve asked turning around and pointing the tip of the carving knife at Danny's chest. "Is this you, changing the subject?"

"No. Not really. They forgot the stuffing," Danny moaned. "They seriously _forgot_ the stuffing? That's it; I'm done. Let's go out ... downtown has to have a place without reservations ... an available buffet or dinner ..."

"A _restaurant_? With the kids?" Steve asked. "They'd hate that - Charlie would hate that. Hell, I would hate that, too... dressing up. Too formal. Plus, it's going to be so crowded." He frowned in thought and then raised his eyebrows. "I have a better idea. How about a few days away? _Huh_? Let's make Christmas really special ... Alohilani Resort? A long weekend? You've got the kids through New Year's, Danno... it's clear sailing...there's things for all of us to do there ... room service ...yeah?"

"It's already special," Danny said with a smile all for Steve's benefit. "I don't know ... the Alohilani?" He paused to consider the suggestion, his grin growing as he looked from Steve to the turkey and then back again. Nonetheless, he seemed unconvinced and not entirely ready to commit.

"Come on, Danno. They forgot the _stuffing_ ," Steve prodded a bit harder, his own expression nothing but mischievous. "Let's just do it; let's indulge a little. Why not?"

"Indulge?" The smile which lit up Danny's face was radiant when Steve coyly mouthed the word. Using his thumb and forefinger to compound that little bit of indulgence which he had in mind. "Okay. Yeah, why not. Say no more ... they'll love it."

 **H5O* H5O**

"Best Christmas ever." Eyes glassy from fatigue, Danny yawned around a smile as he wandered into their suite's living room from the galley kitchen with two glasses of water. "My teenage daughter who can be the most critical young female creature on earth said that about ten times. Must be a world record."

Steve chortled a happy sound before copying Danny's overly large yawn. He knew his eyes were just as glassy and likely even red-rimmed. He couldn't remember how long he'd been on his feet, but it had been a long time. Every single moment had been well worth it though.

"Water?" He asked, knowing that anything more for either of them would have been a waste.

"Water," Danny concurred as he cheerfully clinked the rim of his glass to Steve's.

"They're both in bed?" Steve asked, surprised when Danny nodded. "It's early ... "

"They're wiped out from the best Christmas ever," Danny repeated. "I think we'd all agree about that." He laughed then, pointing to the glass coffee table and the three cell phones, side by side. "Another first. My teenage daughter went to bed - wait, no. No, this is bigger. She left behind - she _forgot_ about that damned phone. It's a miracle."

"Charlie was so happy," Steve said as they sat on the large couch together. Feet up, side by side, they squirreled down even more, shoulder to shoulder.

"His father was ... _is_ ... happy," Danny added quietly. "I still can't believe you're here and that ... we're _here_." He motioned around the large suite. "There's no words at all for any of this. This _is_ the best Christmas ever. Hands down. Bar none."

Steve grinned into his water glass while thumbing on the TV, but he kept the volume muted. He'd queued up Diehard, their traditional holiday movie even if on that Christmas Day, they probably weren't committed to watching it. Next to hm, he felt Danny slouch down lower. He evidently didn't care either way. Danny's comfortable sigh communicated ambivalence to just about everything except sitting next to him. Steve grinned doing the same to get more comfortable in the deep cushions of the couch.

This was enough for both of them indeed because if Steve dared do the math, he still would have been in Korea and waiting on that transport.

"Do you realize, I wouldn't have been home yet?" Steve had to voice it. That fact continued to be mind-boggling to him in every way imaginable.

"I do," Danny murmured definitively. He nudged into Steve's shoulder, the warmth of his lean becoming more pronounced with every passing second, his water glass nearly tipped to a dangerous angle. "And ... we're just going to say thank you because you're _not_ there. You're here and ... you've given my son another solid year of believing in Santa Claus and miracles."

"I also saved him and your daughter from your _gourmet_ dinner ..." Steve chuckled at Danny's indignant moan. He leaned over to awkwardly kiss the top of Danny's head while rescuing both their glasses to the coffee table. "This was by far the better deal."

"Well, I'm not arguing that at all," Danny admitted with a satisfied rub to his stomach. "This was clearly the better idea. The Alohilani knows how to do Christmas right. I think this could be another new tradition? This very suite ... booked next year ... same plan ..."

"... same box and bows?" Steve added with an attempt at a fiendish wink which unfortunately didn't go over as he'd intended. He _snortled_ ingloriously when Danny made a weird sound in his throat. Unable to stop, Steve's attempt to muffle an honest to goodness _giggle_ , dissolved into an over-tired bout of laughter. It bubbled up inside his chest and he couldn't hold it in. But then it only grew larger when Danny caught the same bug and joined him. Shoulders shaking and tears sparkling in their eyes, they laughed and choked, vainly trying to shush each other.

" _Stop_ ," Danny begged as he helplessly wiped tears from his eyes. "I _can't_ ... but in all seriousness ... yes! Making new family traditions is important ... very, very important."

"All right then." Steve giggled and then groaned, clutching dramatically at his aching stomach, too. "A new tradition it is!" He agreed as their hysterical laughter finally died down to something more manageable. "I'll book us in next year, first thing tomorrow."

"Oh and Steve? The same _letter_ too," Danny said, sobering a bit though his smile stayed huge. He pointed to the letter in question which was on the coffee table. They'd reread it multiple times together; the green crayon-ed 'letter' which Charlie had printed so very carefully in a fat scrawl. Inclusive of colorful Christmas stickers of reindeer and elves. Steve had tucked the precious paper into his luggage at the last minute, loathe to leave it behind at the house much to Charlie's delight, too. But Steve couldn't get enough of it. Even now, knowing what it said word for word, his breath still caught in his throat and the spark of a very different emotion twisted his stomach into warm knots.

If Steve hadn't been able to get Charlie's face out of his mind, then Charlie had been similarly pining over him. He knew the letter by heart and had been surprised that Danny hadn't even known about it. Only Grace. Charlie had only confided in his big sister, begging her to mail it to Santa Claus even if he'd already mailed one earlier that month. According to Grace, Charlie had been near tears wondering if Santa would care or listen or do anything at all because he'd already sent a letter asking for toys he now didn't want.

 _Deer Santa, its Charlie again. I am riting to you for help. Can u bring Unckel Steve home from Krea? Pleez send my toys to_ _anuter_ _kid. I don wnat them any more. If Unckel Steve came home Danno and Grace wold be happy to. Love, Charlie Williams._

Simply put: Steve loved Danny's kids, so much so, that it physically hurt.

"Damn straight same letter ... I'm keeping it ... maybe I'll frame it," Steve shared quietly. Then he paused before adding more to what he was really feeling. "I love your kids, Danno."

Danny snuggled in closer to him without saying anything. He turned just enough to tuck himself against Steve's side, his head propped up by Steve's shoulder, his arm slung over Steve's stomach. The peace in his eyes was compounded by the wisps of a very happy smile. Utterly content and feeling that very same peacefulness, Steve draped his arm over Danny's side. He pulled Danny closer, thumbed the tv off, and closed his eyes.

 _ **~ End. ~**_


End file.
